Andy Bloomfield

Former Scarborough FC star Tony Outhart is hoping his horse O’Faolains Boy can follow its RSA Chase win with more Cheltenham glory in next year’s Gold Cup.

Outhart, 50, of Scalby, was delighted when the novice won the race, especially as the two previous winners, Bobs Worth and Lord Windermere, have won the Gold Cup the following year.

O'Faolains Boy

Outhart and three of his friends, Chris Trembath, Roy Hyde and Martin Hill, own the horse. He said: “We were delighted to have another winner at Cheltenham – Naiad du Misselot won the Coral Cup for us in 2008 – and with the last two winners going on to win the Gold Cup it would be amazing if we could win that too.

“Trainer Rebecca Curtis is hoping that he will go to Aintree for their novice chase depending on the ground.”

Another local connection within the group of owners is that Roy Hyde’s uncle, Frank Hyde, played in goal for Scarborough FC in the late 1940s and early 1950s.

Outhart, whose daughters Katy, 16, and Megan, 14, attend Scarborough College, is looking forward to showing his nine-year son James the trophy.

“When we won the Coral Cup I brought it home and he was only three so he ended up keeping his Lego in it!

“Since then every time I go to Cheltenham he has asked me whether I can bring him another cup back, so it is great to be able to do so once again.”

Several local racing fans joined Outhart in celebrating the victory in the winner’s enclosure at Cheltenham.

“You can invite people in to share the moment at Cheltenham, so friends from my time footballing in Scarborough such as Craig Salt, Kevin Brown and Sean Franks all came in to toast our success.”

The quartet of owners teamed up in 2003 and in their first year as owners their first runner at Cheltenham, Tribal Venture, finished third at 100-1. Five years later they won the Coral Cup with Naiad du Misselot and they have now snapped up another winner thanks to O’Faolains Boy.

Outhart said: “Chris got us all together, we all know each other through business connections but it is Chris who has the most knowledge of the racing scene.”

The former Boro player also admitted that jockey Barry Geraghty feels there is more to come from the RSA Novice Chase winner.

“Barry said that O’Faolains Boy did not travel around as he had in previous meetings, and at one stage he thought he may have to pull up, but the horse picked up and got going heading into the final stages and eventually won.

“When he came into the paddock after the race it was found that he had lost a back shoe and twisted a front shoe, which explains why Barry sensed things were not going well.”

O’Faolains Boy started the season late due to bruised feet, but in December he had a fine second place at Ascot in the David Johnson Memorial Shawbrook Graduation Chase, with AP McCoy the jockey.

Outhart added: “He ran at Haydock in January with Barry Geraghty, but he pulled up after a circuit and when he was back in the stable the horse scoped badly, he had a virus.

“He was back on form at Ascot as he won the RSA Trial Chase easily with Barry on board, and last week he proved his quality with a championship win at Cheltenham.

“Once this season is finished he will no longer be a novice and will be heading into the open division, our long-term plan has always been the Cheltenham Gold Cup and it would be great if we can reach our goal.”